Carpenter Family Chronicle

Trip to Oregon!

2011-05-04T04:43:00.000-07:00

Dave and his dad are on a cross country trip to Oregon. The boys and I are holding down the fort here at home. This makes for a lot of rushing around for mom, but the boys are holding their own and pitching in with some of the chores. We have all forgotten to feed the dogs for the last two days. Oops! But other than that all is smooth sailing. It is stinking cold here still in the merry month of May. 38* this morning! The year is almost up for school and I have some huge decisions to make.

April

2011-04-03T06:31:00.000-07:00

Wait, how did this many months go by again without a blog from me... Well we are in April now, day 3. Dave and Jacob are up north with Grandpa Carpenter burning things and otherwise bonding. I am home with the other two guys. Junie B is sitting next to me, poor little thing has bladder stones :( She has to have bladder surgery next week and I am soooo nervous about that. Jacob is playing baseball this year at first base for GRCHS, I hope he does well! Noah and Micah would not even try out! Oh well! I am still teaching first grade and trying to make a good decision about next year's placement. Dave is still holding down the fort at home and doing jobs at school and church. It is spring break right now and it is cold- of course. We hope to go see a movie this week- True Grit. We should also do some other fun things- we will see!

Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T07:57:00.000-08:00

Well, we have just put another Thanksgiving in the books. We had over 30 people at Thanksgiving yesterday, including a 4 week old baby- our newest member Nicholas David. The boys were very good young men. They ate what they were supposed to and said thank you at all the right times. No outside play because of rain, but they wrestled on the floor a bit with their big boy cousins. Today we shipped Noah off to Wisconsin to a cross country race. He just got GRCHS trophy for most improved runner 25 min. down to 19 min. for a 5K. I am very proud of him, and of all the boys. They are all holding their own in a very difficult school. Their grades are not perfect, but well above normal and we are proud of them! Just had parent teacher conferences and every single teacher told us that we have the nicest, most hard-working boys. So I am immensely proud of them and happy to think that we may be doing something right. So just sitting here now watching Batman cartoons and listening to Jacob slurp his hot choco! It just started to snow a wee bit here...just in time for Christmas!

Weekend in November...

2010-11-06T06:37:00.000-07:00

I am beginning to feel somewhat like an empty nester. Noah on a bus trip to 3 Oakes for a cross country meet of his friends on the team. Micah is at a weekend Rocket Launching event Three Oaks! Jacob is sitting here eating waffles. So not quite empty. :) The three of them are loving the social aspect of school and they are all keeping up academically. :) Whew! Noah probably loves it best of all---go figure!

I love my new job as a first grade teacher. What a great gig I have going this year. I am so nervous it will all end and I will get a little hellion in my room, but for now- I love it! Yesterday we painted fish and it was great! Of course it helps that I have an aide AND a student teacher and only 21 kids! I love that part! Don't know what I am going to do next year. Don't know if I can truly leave my home of 12 years. Sigh...I wish things could just stay the same.

High schoolers

2010-08-28T13:10:00.000-07:00

Oh heavens! High school starts in one week. Notebooks and pencils have been bought. New shirts and jeans have been washed and hung. New shoes still need to be found, but for the most part we are physically ready. Emotionally, I am trying to pretend it is all just a really bad dream. I know that they have to grow up and I know that they have to move on in life, but I also know that high school is just one step closer to when I have an empty nest and 3 grown up boys. However, I also plan to totally enjoy these last 4 years I have with my boy children before they turn into men children! I have been loving watching them play their chosen sport. Noah is running cross country and Jacob is playing soccer, both for GRCHS. Micah has joined a Rocketry club that he really seems to enjoy. I must say that I continue to like these 3 boys no matter what age they turn into- even teenagers! ;)

I have taken on a new job as a first grade teacher...what am I thinking!? I am vacililating between being scared to death and totally excited! I have a great new room and I am loving organizing it! :)

June before school is almost done...

2010-06-07T16:34:00.000-07:00

Sad/mad today...you know when things just don't go your way? I want to be a two year old and pout and scream and have a little fit over it all. But I won't- at least not in public...or probably even in private.

The boys graduate from middle school this week. I don't know if I can stand it. I would not like to send them to high school, thank you very much. I get a little weepy thinking about it all. So I will just stop thinking at all... We went out and bought 3 of everything for the graduation...3 shoes, ties, pants, shirts, socks, belts...the whole nine yards. They will be the most handsome guys at the graduation I am sure. And, let me tell you...they are gorgeous. It is like Dave and I took the best of the both of us and God put it together to make these most amazingly cute boys. I may be a little prejudiced though. :) I love them so so much. I just hope and pray continuously that they will continue to make excellent life choices.

MAY DAYS!

2010-05-07T19:33:00.001-07:00

May, already. Where is the time going? I tell you! We now have 3- 14 year olds in the house and it is crazy here for sure. We also now have 7 chickens...well make that 6. The dogs got one of the chicks last night, there was lots of tears and gnashing of teeth last night- not mine.

School is making me a little crazy right now but I think it always does this time of year. Dave is working for the government as a census working for the next couple of months- it sure would be nice if a job like that could become permanent. He is also still working as a custodian for church and school...yes we are both very busy right now. The boys are playing baseball on the Rockford Christian Middle School team. They love it and so does the coach (their dad). :)

I am going to teach summer school this summer-crazy right. Maybe I won't need to teach after school next year then... a girl can hope. :)

Hmmm...heading to bed now. Sleep tight!

2010-03-20T19:14:00.000-07:00

First day of spring has brought us snow! Can you believe it?? I am so enjoying the boys at this age. We have an appointment at an endocrynologist for Noah in May. I think he is great just as is, but he is thinking he is height challenged. It doesn't make it any easier when brothers are growing by leaps and bounds! Jacob is wearing a size 12 shoe and has outgrown his mother by an inch or two. Micah is growing like a weed too. His voice is dropping too. :) Ah puberty. :)

lights on and everyone is home!

2009-12-20T11:56:00.000-08:00

Lights up on our tree, thanks to Trish Cutler! She showed up in church today with a pack of replacement bulbs after reading my facebook status. What a great lady! :) Boys are going to their first middle school church party tonite! They are very excited and I am happy for them. They went to another middle schoolers birthday party last night and the mom told me I have such nice, polite boys. That felt so good to hear that. Today I am going to go shopping for my mom, mother-in-law and sister Kim. Yikes!

Dave is of course watching football- the Lions, who else!

2009-12-19T20:36:00.001-08:00

Hey, how did it get to be almost Christmas again. The boys are turning into little men now. Jacob's voice started changing and he is wearing size 12 shoes! I think that is big enough thank-you! He is about an inch taller than me at 5'8 or so. Micah is also really starting to grow. He is growing out of all his pants and he is in men's size shoes as well. He has surpassed Grandma Kitty in the height department- a proud day for him. And, he can lift me up! He loves this. Noah is still waiting for his growth spurt. He will get there we keep telling him. He is not being very patient so far.

We just lived through the blizzard of 2009- come on...ridiculous little snowstorm that it was! The boys got a three day snow day...but not me! Nope...I braved the blizzard! Many of my students however did not. I had attendance of about 12 of 23 kiddos on Wednesday and 15 of 23 on Thursday. BTW my class is a dream this year. I am looping and loving the growth I am seeing in my students.

So just got back from shopping for Christmas. I love this time of year!! Our tree still has no lights on it. hmmmmm....maybe we will just go green this year.

spring break

2009-04-07T17:01:00.001-07:00

Well this spring break has proven no different from many others. It is too cold and the boys want so badly to be outside. Maybe next year we will go someplace very warm... Jacob and I are watching The Wilderness Family. I love that show. It brings back such good memories of when I was an elementary student. Jacob is getting a kick out of it too. He likes most movies anyway as long as I watch it with him. Noah and Micah are playing Roboblox on the computer and Dave is downstairs watching the Tigers- probably lose again... Oh dear...the bear is about to kill the whole family...on the movie don't ya know...

Alright I am off to another part of life... See ya soon.

13th week

2009-04-04T18:01:00.001-07:00

So this is the last week of childhood in my house. The boys turn 13 next Saturday- unbestinkinglievable! The time has gone so fast. Jacob is taller than grandma k and has bigger feet than his dad. Noah and Micah are not quite that advanced but will sprout soon we think. All 3 boys have really nice personalities and love eachother a lot, even though they do not want to admit it. As much as we hear them arguing, we also hear them giggling and laughing too. They are really pleasant little boys and will be good men I know. I pray every day that they will make good choices as we delve into the world of peers and everything else. Last year about this time they were making their professions of faith and I am deeply proud of each of them for that.

Jacob and I just got back from Desperaux, the tale of a very brave mouse. It was a good movie and I like that he still likes to spend time with mom. Noah wants an icecream cake for his 13th birthday and all 3 want money to spend...cold hard cash...

Hard to believe that I love them more than the first day I brought them home from the hospital but it is true. What great guys God has given me!

Sledding

2009-01-11T13:40:00.000-08:00

Dave and the boys just headed out to the hills by the park. They have such fun together, those 4 boys of mine. It is snowing like a snow globe right now and it is supposed to be bitterly cold this week. I want to make homeade icecream this week. Please mom! Oh ya, I am the mom.

School started back with a bang this last week and tomorrow is a walk through. I cannot wait til everyone sees how ridiculous everything in education is really getting to be... Love those kids though!

independence

2009-01-10T08:32:00.000-08:00

Wow, does anyone else have a problem with letting their kids grow up? Our boys are constantly wanting to stay home by themselves, walk to friends house(like a mile a way) by themselves, go to the park and go sledding by themselves! Ugh! It is like they are 2 again and are saying ME do it! It is so hard to let them grow up- I worry about them too much when I am not with them.

I am too freaked out by what may happen to them when they don't have an adult around... Actually, I am not worried about the choices THEY will make, it is the freaks that are out there trying to lead my guys astray or do something evil to them. I think I am this way because of the whole Linda Vanderveen thing back when I was back in 6th grade.

I just need to pray a lot. I liked age 2 better than age 12 just cause I always knew where they were...and who was with them...

accident

2009-01-03T18:33:00.001-08:00

Well, I was nice and comfy in my chair reading my great book by Francine Rivers, when the phone rang. Noah ran to answer it and it was Dave. Noah said hi and immediately handed the phone to me. When I said hello noone responded back all I could hear was Dave saying, "Jacob, are you alright? Are you alright?" I started to yell to Dave to answer me but he didn't. Finally he said, "We just got in an accident, some guy blew the light and took off the front end". My stomach went into my throat and my heart threatened to stop beating. This was a phone call I hoped never to get. I asked him again if Jacob was okay and he said he was. He said he was fine too and asked me to pick him up from M57 and the Beltline.

After I hung up I shouted to Micah and Noah to get their coats on and get in the car. We sped out to the intersection and even beat the police officers there. Dave ended up getting the ticket and I am pretty sure the van is totaled. I am just thankful no people were hurt...

yes!

2009-01-02T17:30:00.000-08:00

Well I just wanted to see if I could do this- blog I mean and I can. My goal, starting this year 2009, is to start a record of our lives together as a family. I wish I would have started when they were babies or toddlers or even elementary schoolers, but alas, I didn't. The teenage years could prove to be just as interesting right??

The New Year 2009

2009-01-02T17:26:00.000-08:00

Well, Jacob just got home from his basketball game tonight. It was close, but not close enough...The final score was 30 to 35. He is such a trooper though. Game after game they lose, but he keeps such a great attitude about it all.